New Details Revealed About the Nearly 2 Dozen Young Girls Confirmed Missing from Christian Camp After Devastating Texas

[malaise]

Last edited Sat Jul 5, 2025, 11:01 AM - Edit history (1)

This is too sad

https://people.com/new-details-revealed-about-young-girls-missing-from-texas-christian-camp-11766988


Adding important link
It did not predict this amount of rain - blame Slibby
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220461156

[pfitz59]

1. How about just 'summer camp'

'Christian summer camp' sounds like a brain-washing camp. Justpoints out that 'god' doesn't care.

[malaise]

4. I posted the link headline

These are lil babies who didn’t send themselves to this summer camp

[FarPoint]

11. Yes, you are reporting accurately...

You rock!

[FarPoint]

12. It is what it is....

let's not change the details/facts...

[malaise]

22. And several innocent children are dead

This is horrific.

[FarPoint]

24. Maybe this event will have an impact of Texas Magas???

It could just be a start....

[malaise]

26. We will see

[vanlassie]

33. Hope Springs Eternal

But I DO hope you’re right.

[Skittles]

77. the same people who don't give a fuck about gun carnage in schools

yeah, OK

[Layzeebeaver]

38. My personal experience is that a Christian summer camp is exactly that.

And from that same experience I can say that it’s either god doesn’t care or there is no god.

Obviously, everyone’s experience is different. I’m only speaking about my own.

[Bluetus]

41. It is an attempt for extra sympathy, as in

"These weren't some inner-city gang members. These were good Christian girls, baptised and everything (which is ironic)"

Funny how Christians and atheists both die from cancer, Alzheimer's, ALS, lightning strikes, tornadoes, and floods at the same rate. It is almost as if there really aren't any invisible guardian angels after all.

And here's the thing: Atheists and agnostics have no trouble having sympathy for the children (and everyone else) lost in this disaster, whether their parents believe in bearded guys in the sky or not. It is just as sad either way, and doubly so, considering it happened in a state that consistently votes for a government that welcomes climate change, hates science, and just voted to cripple the very agency that could have helped spare all the souls that were lost here.

If I believed in holy ghosts, I would ask God to damn every Republican.

[Retrograde]

59. The school children slaughtered in Uvalde

weren't inner-city gang members either, and I don't think they got as much sympathy from the Texas establishment.

I hope that against the odds most if not all of the missing girls are found alive and safe. And I also hope that their families see the dangers in what Donnie;s reckless actions have done and is doing to this country in less than six months and do something to stop further damage to the US and its residents.

[Bluetus]

68. I agree. A very large share of Christians, when faced with a situation they could improve

instead play the "It is God's will" card.

That is, IMHO, a fundamentally immoral position. If one is in a position to take some actions (even simply voting) to make the children safer from gun violence, weather events, or any other tragedy, and doesn't --- then one has no moral authority on ANY subject.

And this goes for the clergy who stand aside silently when these things happen.

And for those who do instinctively go to the "God's will" card, maybe we should confront them to explain why God drowned all these children the day after the President signed the legislation that shut down most efforts at combating climate change and gutted the NWS and FEMA.

[Melon]

72. It's literally a Christian camp. The girls and their families

Are Christian’s. What is it to you that they find solace is god in praying for their loved ones lives?

[Bluetus]

73. They are welcome to solace. But they have no moral authority

if they don't act for the protection of lives when they have the chance. That is as un-Christian as one can possibly be.

But I know, it is too soon. But I don't think it is too soon to ask what any of them have done to make Texas children safer from gun violence, such as we saw in El Paso and Uvalde. Sorry, it is not acceptable to say those things are "God's will" when there are things we can do about it.

[mucifer]

76. I don't understand. A Christian camp is a Christian camp. People have a right to their religion.

[Bluetus]

81. They don't have a right to claim moral superiority

and use that as the basis for the kind of crap legislation and bullshit SCOTUS decisions that have only been possible by this Christian dominionist activism.

We are where we are as a nation as a direct result of Christian extremism. These "camps" are part of a systematic, madras-style indoctrination that continues to reinforce the stranglehold that Christian extremists have on our society even though practicing Christians represent only 40% of the country and the extremists may be more like 20% of the country. While these parents may feel no personal connection with the climate catastrophe that took these babies, there is a very direct connection.

It was not "God's will". It was a direct result of decades of ACTIVE denial of the damage we are doing to our planet, and Christian extremists have been at the very center of all of that. These things need to be said out loud if we are ever going to reverse the damage.

[mucifer]

82. I went to liberal Jewish camps when I was a kid. I think it's ok to have Christian camps for kids.

[Bluetus]

83. That's not the point.

The point I'm trying to make is that what happened is a DIRECT result of climate change, and Christians in general have been the primary enablers of the Republicans who have fought every attempt deal with the climate crisis. The news coverage should make the obvious connection.

Religious freedom means that anybody can have camps like this. But there is a direct connection between the climate change that took these lives and the political activism of Christians in our politics, and that should be stated out loud.

It is a tragedy that anybody had to die in these flash floods, but I'd wager the vast majority who were affected have consistently voted for politicians who have blocked all attempts to deal with climate change. We cannot let the RW continue to bully us into not stating these obvious connections.

Consequences. Just like Uvalde and el Paso.

[Skittles]

80. I have zero problem with that

if they kept it to themselves

I have a HUGE problem with sanctimonious repukes using their crap religion in government.

Do you REALLY think anyone rooting for rounding up people to deport and cutting off medical help and food assistance truly "believes in Jesus"???

[canetoad]

91. Spot on

Classic example of a "thought terminating cliche".

[Vogon_Glory]

2. Horrible

[marble falls]

3. Welcome to low water crossing Texas. Every year we have problems. About 10 years ago the creek behind our condo ...

... rise 18 feet in a few hours. They say 15 boats washed down it and disappeared. Two teens raced their jeep in front of the crest down at another creek and still haven't been found.

Flashflooding is a real problem here in Central Texas.

[malaise]

6. BBC had extensive coverage eArlier

They said homes, tents, vehicles x everything is gone.
Even the camp director is dead

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c15np18yy24t

[Prairie Gates]

9. I think that's the camp director of a different camp

[NJCher]

8. That is mind boggling

I had no idea something like that could happen in such a short time.

[malaise]

10. Same here

Rec

[marble falls]

15. Only place I know it's worse is in Arizona, it could be perfect sunshine all day long, but a gully washer twenty miles..

... away will whip thru the arroyos 10 feet deep in an instant.

[Nasruddin]

28. New Mexico

I happened to be in NM - Albuquerque - many years ago during monsoon season for a conference.
Every day on the 5pm news, there would be a report of someone rescued or drowned from a flooding arroyo somewhere around town after the afternoon scattered rain in the area. Every day. People who lived there, who still didn't get it.

One day it was a dog.

[NJCher]

49. ahhh....

OK, now I understand. I didn't know what an arroyo was.

This is kind of like the blizzards that come out of nowhere in the Midwest. People get caught in them and some of us stay why didn't you just stay home. They are often predicted too late or not at all.

[womanofthehills]

71. I'm out in the country in the middle of NM

There are two ways in and out of my place and both have arroyos that cross roads. I keep a blanket, pillow and water in my car because during super heavy rains, I have not been able to cross arroyos that go from 4’ to 8’. I just basically sleep in my car till it’s about a foot and passable.

I have gone to an exercise class in town - sun shining & no rain - hour and a half later coming home -get to the arroyo and it’s not passable. Big rain north of me I was unaware of.

The arroyos are often 4 to 8 ft deep - last year we had a 4 inch rainfall in a very short time and the arroyos are now filled to the top with rocks they washed down. So instead of the arroyos when empty being an average of 6 ft deep - they are now a half a foot deep because they are filled with huge rocks. I’m curious to see how this affects how they run this year.

[mwmisses4289]

34. Yes. It's not uncommon to get rains of four or more inches per hour during the summer

especially in the hill country and along the gulf coast.

[Melon]

50. Highlights the freak nature of this storm. It dumped 15" in an hour.

[Bluetus]

43. That's why they are called FLASH floods

It can't happen everywhere. It really depends on the topology and how it drains.

It is hard to fathom it happening this quickly, especially considering that these events were much less common even 20 years ago. Our hotter climate holds vastly more water in vapor form, and we are now seeing crazy amounts of rainfall that were almost unprecedented a generation ago.

I once was in a camper van in New Zealand where we got 12 inches of rain in 12 hours. I never experienced anything like that. But it was normal in that area. Many roads were washed out, but crews were out early the next morning laying new gravel and asphalt. We knew about the storm in advance and the locals gave good instructions about where the big flash flood risks were. But still, that was soooooo much rain, it was scary.

[Melon]

56. Right. That's a known very dangerous valley for floods. But nobody predicted anywhere close to the rainfall

that occurred. If someone tells you 3” inches of rain so they know the river will rise a foot or two, you don’t need to evacuate anything. It’s been a drought so lakes and rivers are low. It rained 15” and the river rose 20 foot in the middle of the night. Nobody saw this coming. Nobody.

[Mossfern]

61. That's why they call it a

flash flood.
It comes up as quick as a flash. (I think)

Again, we get warnings way ahead of time.

[Bluetus]

63. In this case, apparently the storm got stalled

and dumped 12" instead of the expected 3"

That can happen, and I have been seeing these huge, unexpected rainfall events much more frequently in the past decade. I doubt the NWS would have had any better information, considering tat most of that is computerized and runs nonstop.

But if it is known flash flood area, maybe this isn't the best place for a camp, even a Christian one, where Jesus would presumably try to save his followers.

[marble falls]

64. It's risen 8-10' since my earlier post.

[Skittles]

84. I went nuts on a coworker when he said he and his kids did not know how to swim

harped on him until they all got lessons - you're right, it's a chronic danger in Texas, there are SOOO many low water crossings

[LudwigPastorius]

90. TV news report I saw today said that...

the Guadalupe rose 26 feet in 45 minutes.

That's almost 7 inches a minute!

[Kid Berwyn]

5. River rose 26-feet in 45 minutes.

Those poor little girls experienced a horrific death. My heart is broken today.

[malaise]

7. My hope is that most of them were sleeping

From the BBC link
While large parts of Texas recorded about two inches (50mm) of rain, the wettest areas recorded a torrential deluge of 14.98 inches (380mm) that led to catastrophic flash flooding as rivers burst their banks rapidly.

——-
That’s a lot of rain

[Kid Berwyn]

13. No warning.

From The Guardian:

Excerpt…

Texas Lt-Gov Dan Patrick said the potential for heavy rain and flooding covered a large area.

“Everything was done to give them a heads up that you could have heavy rain, and we’re not exactly sure where it’s going to land,” Patrick said.

“Obviously as it got dark last night, we got into the wee morning of the hours, that’s when the storm started to zero in.”

Kerr county judge Rob Kelly, the county’s chief elected official, said: “We do not have a warning system.”

When pushed on why more precautions weren’t taken, Kelly said no one knew this kind of flood was coming.

Continues…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/jul/05/texas-flooding-latest-news-updates-guadalupe-river-flood-camp-mystic

PS: There was a warning system — the NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE — pee-residunce Trump cut its funding.

[malaise]

14. Yep

which is why he suddenly found his mouth

[Kid Berwyn]

17. When the adults act like spoiled and ignorant children, disaster strikes.

Half a century ago, I worked at a summer camp north of Detroit. I was the “Assistant Waterfront Director,” a glorified life guard in charge of fishing poles, life jackets and canoes.

The place was founded for rich kids from the suburbs, but every few weeks, we’d host city kids whose families were of limited economic means. In exchange for their experience, they’d spend part of each day as labor.

We’d clean up the camp, but that would take less than half an hour. The rest of the work day, about two hours, was spent driving around in a big four-wheel pick up truck the woods and camp perimeter picking up big rocks.

The camp architect — a great guy who refused to support military madness — and used his skills to build a small amphitheater, walls, and other stuff. The kids felt like they were part of these structures.

I know they today are thinking of those poor little girls 1,000 miles away in Texas.

[malaise]

18. You're one of the good guys

[Bluetus]

47. "as it got dark last night, we got into the wee morning of the hours ..."

Uhhh, radar works at night.

This is the state that doesn't see any reason to be on the national electric grid, because the electric utilities are governed by the railroad commission !?

WTF? Even without the National Weather Service, the information was out there.

This is what happens when you believe that government is the work of the devil.

[Melon]

51. You have no idea. The national forecast was 1" - 3". This was over 15" at 4am.

The flood alert came out at 5:30am. Some areas were swimming by then. People’s houses were inundated while they were in bed. The river rose a foot a minute at its peak.

[Bluetus]

53. We had the same things in Ky before DOGE did its thing

These things can change quickly. The alert systems are mainly local. Evacuation orders in hurricanes, or example, are usually issued at the county level. We have an emergency siren network that is activated by county personnel. The NWS stuff is mostly computerized. I'm not saying it was smart to fire a bunch of NWS workers, but it might not have made much difference in this case.

And look for Texas to beg for FEMA money in 3 --- 2 --- 1.

[Ms. Toad]

57. Pretty sure the prediction was 6-8"

The actual rainfall was double that 12-15"

[Melon]

58. No it wasn't. 5" max in isolated locations.

[Ms. Toad]

60. Let me see if I can track back the article which put it at 6-8"

Last edited Sat Jul 5, 2025, 03:46 PM - Edit history (1)

Here's one reference for 6". https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/death-toll-in-texas-floods-rises-to-at-least-27-as-search-continues-for-many-missing-officials-say

I know the only article I could find which gave me definitive numbers for what rain fell (rather than how much the river rose) also included the forecast of 6-8" I'll keep looking.

Here is an article focused on tracking predictions and analyzing the flooding.

The higher resolution models did do better and did lead everyone down the correct path. On Wednesday night, the 00z HRRR model had about 7-9" in a few bullseyes between Mexico and Texas by Friday morning. By Thursday morning, the model showed as much as 10 to 13 inches in parts of Texas. By Thursday evening, that was as much as 20 inches. So the HRRR model upped the ante all day.

The HREF model on Thursday morning, a tool developed from NOAA research also indicated the risk of 10" or more in spots, using the "probability matched mean" product which can identify higher risk areas for heavy rainfall. I've used this in Houston many times, often with considerable forecast success ahead of flooding events. It has a knack for cutting through some of these higher end events and highlighting those risks.

https://theeyewall.substack.com/p/making-sense-of-the-weather-that

[Bluetus]

44. I don't mean to be macabre, but

there is no chance they slept through that. It is a horrible thing.

[Norbert]

30. They didn't have a chance.

Damn.

[Coolgoober]

16. Trump Won't Say Anything

About young girls dying. Just like he hasn't said anything about service members dying since he became president. It's disgraceful. He's disgraceful.

[DoBW]

20. The Felon needs to assess the value of the tragedy

how can he benefit ....

[malaise]

21. He needs to find a way to blame immigrants

That is all

[Norrrm]

52. And blame Biden, Harris, Obama.

[TommieMommy]

19. This is just horrible. Those little kids 🙏🙏🙏 it's devastating

[malaise]

23. Watch this

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220461156

[marble falls]

25. Thank TACO and fElon Musk.

[TommieMommy]

29. WOW 😳

[hay rick]

27. Next under the bus: God.

Since America no longer believes in science, it's time to shift blame to where it really belongs. Maybe the Big Guy's sharpie ran out of ink.

[ZDU]

32. Anthropogenic Climate Disruption

"Gee Bob, let's go with, 'What is Extreme Weather' for 1,000 points." Folks we are in a new era of weather and climate. Prepare yourselves.

[mjvpi]

36. Americans need to watch news from all ver the world.

China is getting creamed by flash flooding, too much rain.

[electricmonk]

54. Do you know of a good YouTube channel for China?

I watched one yesterday on a channel called China Observer showing floods from the Yangtze River valley but the way they edit their videos it's hard to tell where and when it happened. Would love a good source to watch.

Side note I saw that Russia is also getting some major floods in the St Petersburg for the first time in July since 1865.

[Nigrum Cattus]

37. You have the ACD correct but -

it's Anthropocentric Climate Destruction -
https://arctic-news.blogspot.com/

[ZDU]

45. Whoa! Thank you for sharing that link.

Thank you, thank you! It's greatly appreciated. .

[Ping Tung]

35. How long until Trump blames (a) Democrats (b )immigrants (c) high taxes (d) women (e) Unpatriotic people who read books

(e) all of the above

[JHB]

40. He'll blame Biden for government incompetence that was actually the result of Elon's firings.

You don't even need to account for Trump to make that call, it's standard Republican playbook:

Rail about government being the problem and not working

Get into power

Ensure that government doesn't work

[dalton99a]

39. "This is a time when we, as a state, need God more than ever." - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott

[Ping Tung]

42. "God"? Is this the same benevolent God that's in charge of the weather?

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
 Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
 Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
 Then why call him God?”

 Epicurus

[ZDU]

46. Hear, hear!

Thank you. It needed to be said. It needed to be repeated. It needed to be posted. Thank you.

[Duncan Grant]

48. Platitudes: Chapter 86; Verse 47 (nt)

[Skittles]

85. repukes and their useless fucking prayers

sickening

[Ms. Toad]

55. Who or what is Slibby n/t

[malaise]

79. Slobby n/t

[keep_left]

62. Reminds me of something I saw years ago--same river in TX...

...(the Guadalupe River). Here is a link to a short movie (The Awesome Power, from the late '80s) about flash floods where the incident is discussed. An architect built a house on tall pilings near the headwaters of the Guadalupe. The house was raised 16 feet (three feet above the 100-year flood plain). Nonetheless, a severe thunderstorm caused the river to rise 22 feet in four hours, overflowing its banks and causing most of the house to collapse into the river. A school bus convoy from a church camp was capsized by the same flash flood; 10 drowned.

Here's the link (see 5:33-8:48): https://archive.org/details/gov.ntis.ava17096vnb1

[malaise]

65. Freaking wow

Thanks for posting

[dalton99a]

66. +1. Great find!

[keep_left]

67. You're both welcome. I guess that's one benefit...

...of getting old--you remember obscure things like this from years past. (Well, at least until you get really old, and then you have trouble remembering anything!). I last recall seeing that film on a public-access cable channel back in the late '90s.

[malaise]

70. Tell me about it

Latest - 43 dead including fifteen children and 27 girls from Camp Mystic are still missing. I feel for those parents.

[Melon]

69. The warning for Thursday night as they went to bed.

Right before the storm.

Thursday: Flood watches were issued. By late afternoon, a “Slight Risk” of excessive rain (WPC 2/4) was highlighted—which in hindsight may have underplayed the potential.

[DSandra]

74. "We don't need the gubmint!"

And Texas is where 10,000 people got killed in a single hurricane in 1900 (the Great Galveston Hurricane.)

[Melon]

75. We don't l..or I don't talk that way in Texas.

And WTF does 1900 Galveston have to do with anything?

[Skittles]

78. you seem very defensive

and I have KNOWN people who sound that ignant

[Melon]

87. I'm offended. I live in Texas in a smaller community. We have 2 confirmed dead.

This online community is not the same in my eyes after the last 2 days. Ignorance I once attributed to one side of the spectrum has a home here as well.

[Skittles]

88. you seem unable to understand the absolute ANGER WE FEEL towards republicans

THIS TRAGEDY WAS ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE - and THAT makes it SO MUCH FUCKING WORSE

DONE HERE, UGH

[Melon]

89. Well...like I said...your anger is being expressed as ignorance given the subject.

[DSandra]

92. You deny Texas' anti government history?

And look at how they deregulated electricity that led to the deaths of hundreds of people during a snowstorm in 2021.

[dalton99a]

86. +1

https://apnews.com/article/texas-floods-missing-hill-country-5044c169b59921b2b4f65a2568c354c0

AccuWeather said the private forecasting company and the National Weather Service sent warnings about potential flash flooding hours beforehand.

“These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety,” AccuWeather said in a statement. It called the Hill Country one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the U.S. because of its terrain and many water crossings.

At the Mo-Ranch Camp in the community of Hunt, officials had been monitoring the weather and opted to move several hundred campers and attendees at a church youth conference to higher ground. At nearby Camps Rio Vista and Sierra Vista, organizers also had mentioned on social media that they were watching the weather the day before wrapping up their second summer session Thursday.